The 100 Best Places to Work in 2013

For our 2013 list of the best places to work in the United States, free ski passes, unlimited vacation time, and exotic trips are just the tip of the iceberg. We found a staggering number of companies that understand the road to success depends on a work-life balance; a healthy, active staff; and a willingness to give back. The best news? Narrowing it down to 100 was the hardest part.

Already know exactly what you’re looking for? This year we’ve also highlighted some of the companies with the best perks, making it easier to meet your match:

Outside's 100 Best Places to Work

For our 2013 list of the best places to work in the United States, free ski passes, unlimited vacation time, and exotic trips are just the tip of the iceberg. We found a staggering number of companies that understand the road to success depends on a work-life balance; a healthy, active staff; and a willingness to give back. The best news? Narrowing it down to 100 was the hardest part.

Already know exactly what you’re looking for? This year we’ve also highlighted some of the companies with the best perks, making it easier to meet your match:

Giving Back: Nei-Turner raises money at their annual Beer & Spirits event for the local Geneva Lake Water Safety Patrol, in addition to collecting canned goods for the River Food Pantry and hosting a blood drive for the American Red Cross.

Sweet Perk: In lieu of the dreaded company Christmas party, the office takes an overnight trip to a spa.

99. Big Agnes

Digs: A funky red Victorian house with views of Howelsen Hill, the local ski resort

Culture: Big Agnes’s innovative water-repellent down sleeping bags and lightweight tents and pads have won them some of the highest awards in the industry. Considering that employees spend their lunch breaks on top of mountains, their expertise comes as no surprise.

Giving Back: The company supports Leave No Trace with product donations and cash used in the field and for education programs.

Culture: NatureBridge provides hands-on environmental science programs in national parks for nearly 600 schools, including overnight science programs in Yosemite National Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Channel Islands National Park, and more. Hiking and backpacking are part of everyday responsibilities for national park staff; all workers get to participate in special professional development lunch sessions.

Sweet Perk: Full-time staff are eligible to apply for the Matt Baxter and Bishop-Marcus Award, which provides employees with funding to enhance their professional development and pursue a project of their choice.

97. DryCase, LLC

Digs: The garage doors of this retired power company building remain open nine months of the year, letting natural light and air waft in.

Culture: The makers of these waterproof, vacuum sealed electronic covers needed something to cover their gadgets while navigating white water or ripping the waves. They put them to good use outside on surf and bike outings during their flex time. Employees wrap up the week by taking turns to act as chef for weekly Friday cookouts.

95. Two Rivers Marketing

Digs: Built near the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers, this renovated 1950s General Motors parts warehouse has retained an industrial feel.

Culture: The internal “online university” keeps new and veteran employees up to date on the latest B2B marketing skills. They have a fun side too: Associates who have been on the team a year or more display framed caricatures on their desks.

Giving Back: As part of their fundraising for Special Olympics Iowa, staff nominate an associate to rappel off of Des Moines’ 345-foot Financial Center.

Sweet Perk: On Amusement Park Day, Two Rivers pays admission fees to Des Moines’ Adventureland for employees and their families.

94. Spectra Logic

Digs: Employees often use company cruiser bikes to travel between campus buildings, which are decorated with brushed stainless steel and bright colors.

Culture: Spectra Logic provides tape and disk-based data backup for everyone from NASA to National Geographic. Staff take advantage of the campus volleyball court during monthly summer BBQs, battling it out for corporate domination.

Giving Back: Spectra Logic employees raised funds to build a rural village school in Laos through Room to Read, an organization that furthers primary education in Asia and Africa, in honor of a fellow employee that was killed in a bicycle accident.

Sweet Perk: Twice a week, Spectra’s CEO brings in his personal trainer to run free classes over lunch hour.

93. First Green Bank

Digs: A koi ponds winds in and out of the platinum LEED certified building, which features a “green wall” festooned with plants.

Culture: Employees’ green ideas are strongly encouraged via their Mission Minded Award, given to the employee that has incorporated their sustainable mission into their everyday life. Staff members build team unity through events like 5Ks and paintball matches.

Giving Back: Employees volunteer at the community garden at South Lake Hospital; veggies produced there are given to local non-profits.

Sweet Perks: Workers can get a zero-percent interest rate on loans for fuel-efficient cars, solar panels, or sporting equipment over $1,000.

92. Clearlink

Digs: Open floor plans and 3D wall art are hallmarks of Clearlink’s offices, and the overall design of their call center in Orem, Utah earned the company the 2012 ENR Mountain States Best Project in Interior Design/Tenant Improvement.

Culture:Managing monster ad campaigns from companies like AT&T and Verizon is a demanding job. Clearlinkers relax with company-sponsored Ski Utah passes and daily tee times, as well as an annual retreat to Las Vegas.

Giving Back: Last year employees donated 8,650 lbs of clothing to Big Brother Big Sister and over 15,000 cans of food to the local food bank.

Sweet Perk: Every year, four top-performing employees earn an all-expense-paid, seven-day trip to anywhere in the world for them and a guest.

91. BDO USA, LLP/Mikunda, Cottrell & Co.

Digs: A building in Anchorage's Midtown district, close enough for an evening summer hike in the Front Range of the Chugach.

Culture: In between Bagel Wednesdays and Donut Fridays, the company provides audit, attest and financial statement preparation services throughout the state. It’s a typically high-stress line of work, so the company encourages staff to play outside with a community-events page, which posts information on various outdoor activities happening around town.

Giving Back: Once a month, employees are welcome to wear jeans on Fridays in exchange for a $5 donation to a local charity. The company matches the funds collected.

Sweet Perk: During tax season, the busiest part of the year, a masseuse is provided on site to help alleviate stress and promote overall well-being.

90. Aspen Skiing Company

Digs: Employees can use cruiser bikes to get to the different offices clusters at each of the company’s four mountains.

Culture: The operators of four world-class ski mountains—Aspen, Snowmass, Buttermilk, and Aspen Highlands—have attracted skiers and snowboarders from around the world for 60 years. Weekly themed ski days, dogs in the office, and discount gear keep staff and guests engaged and happy.

Giving Back: Each year the employee-run Environment Foundation donates more than $200,000 to projects protecting the local environment.

Sweet Perk: To kick off the season, employees learn about new products available to guests while chowing down and listening to live music by a bonfire on top of the mountain.

89. Mercury Payment Systems

Digs: In 2014 MPS will move from their current office park to their own 58-acre Gold LEED certified Mercury Village on the Animas River.

Culture: This payment processing company works with resellers and developers to create customized, integrated point-of-sale solutions. The team-building budget brings staff together on rafting, skiing, and ziplining trips, while the seven-mile Animas River Trail is perfect for a midday getaway.

Giving Back: Last year, employees volunteered over 7,100 hours during normal work time through the Employee Volunteer Program.

88. Industrial Revolution, Inc.

Digs: The office, warehouse and manufacturing space are located in the heart of the Puget Sound region.

Culture: Conservation is king at this privately owned manufacturing group, which produces top-shelf knives and outdoor equipment . Employees take turns monitoring the company’s green practices, which includes a lunchroom equipped with all recyclable materials.

Giving Back: The outdoors support Industrial Revolutions, and they support the outdoors by giving to Leave No Trace, Big City Mountaineers, Pacific Crest Trail Association, and the Pacific Science Center

87. OCSC Sailing

Digs: A 50-yacht fleet and clubhouse with views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the San Francisco Bay.

Culture: At this sailing school and adventure-travel company, staff break up their voyages with company lectures and fitness classes. If the perfect mix of city and sea isn’t enough, staff for OCSC Adventures lead trips and safaris as far as Tanzania, Antarctica, and Turkey.

Giving Back: Five percent of the company’s gross Adventure Travel income goes to WILD AID, an organization committed to ending the illegal wildlife trade.

Sweet Perk: Staff take advantage of free sailing lessons and access to the full fleet, as well as a designated stipend for international vacations.

Culture: It’s in the company’s best interest to get employees familiar with their technical merino outdoor apparel, so staff enjoy free ski passes or an “activity pass” to the fitness pursuit of their choice. Staff and teams who exemplify the company’s value of affecting positive change in the world are nominated to win the annual SmartWool Pinnacle Award, which comes with a $1,000 cash prize.

Giving Back: The company community gardens produces food for local families in need.

Sweet Perk: During the summer, employees leave work at 3 p.m. on Fridays for a two-hour bike ride, followed by happy hour at a local joint.

85. Adventure Life

Digs: The company’s headquarters sports a large and frequently used break room, which hosts pilates and other group workouts.

Culture: Staff at this eco-travel company crushed it in Missoula’s Commuter Challenge two years in a row by sustainably commuting to work more than any other small business in town. The company sends employees to scout out trips as far away as Brazil, Alaska, and the Arctic.

Giving Back: The Adventure Life Grant Program gives back $10K annually to grassroot projects in countries Adventure Life visits.

83. Europa Sports Products

Digs: The highlight of the office is a 3,000-square-foot gym is bulging with a variety of strength training equipment, including a powerlifting area and tractor tires.

Culture: When they’re not pushing paper, these national distributors of sports are busy getting ripped. Among the benefits: a full-time fitness and wellness coordinator who is a former strength coach for the Charlotte Hornets.

Giving Back: Europa gives time and support to the Walk for Diabetes Awareness, Toys for Tots, and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.

Sweet Perk: The company holds raffles for free tickets to every home NFL and NBA game.

82. Backbone Media

Digs: The highlight of Backbone’s open and airy office lies in the basement gear room, stocked floor to ceiling with the latest and greatest gear and apparel from Backbone's 50-plus client brands.

Culture: As the leaders in marketing for outdoor companies and tourism destinations around the world, this year’s staff press trips include cat skiing in British Columbia, ski touring in Italy, and trail running in the Wasatch. Besides Carbondale, the company has offices in Denver and Wyoming.

81. Pacific Market International

Digs: The company’s fourth-floor office looks out over Elliott Bay and across to the Olympic Mountain Range.

Culture: These manufactures of the classic Stanley thermos have been going green for over 25 years. Twice-weekly fruit delivery and annual participation in bike to work month (along with the rest of the year) bolster their efforts.

Giving Back: PMI gives the greater of $50,000 or 1% of its net profits to organizations supporting children, education, and the environment.

Sweet Perk: The company enjoys quarterly outings around town, where the employees enjoy a suite at a Mariners game, food and drinks at a local bar, or ice cream served on the deck.

80. Butler, Shine, Stern and Partners

Digs: The company’s open office space was built in an old shipyard, and overlooks the boats and harbor of Richardson Bay.

Culture: The advertising experts at Butler, Shine, Stern and Partners never shy away from a challenge, professional or athletic. The company has breathed fresh air into brands like Mini Cooper and Columbia Sportswear, and sponsors a staff Escape From Alcatraz triathlon team. When employees feel like getting out on the water, they can rent kayaks from a local outfitter on the company’s dime.

Giving Back: In addition to donating presents and basic needs to local families during the holidays, BSSP does pro bono work for Raise the River the Marin County Bike Coalition, and more.

Sweet Perk: Their Indian Summer Concert series from August to October features free music, food and beer trucks in the company parking lot.

79. SRAM, LLC

Digs: A bike test track runs through the engineering and product management function areas, located on the top floor of this loft-style building in Lincoln Park.

Culture: SRAM’s team builds some of the highest-quality bike components on the market, and most employees get to work on two wheels. The company provides workers with amenities like showers and tuning benches for quick repairs.

Giving Back: SRAM is an affiliate of World Bicycle Relief, a not-for-profit that has distributed 145,960 bicycles in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sweet Perk: To get experience with the global team, employees are often sent to one of SRAM’s 16 worldwide locations.

78. Tough Mudder

Digs: The new downtown office space will include an obstacle design lab and a media room for content development.

Culture: Mental grit, strength, and camaraderie are essential for this hit obstacle race series, and the values extend to the staff. Employees can compete in an annual business plan contest to win prize money for their own entrepreneurial ideas and Tough Mudder University, their internal professional development program, keeps them up to date.

Giving Back: Tough Mudder has raised $5.6 million dollars on behalf of the Wounded Warrior Project.

Sweet Perk: How does a whopping 25 days of vacation per year, plus holidays, sound?

Hiring:Yes! Director of Technology, Race Director, Business Analyst, and more

(Courtesy of Tough Mudder)

77. Rocky Mountain Institute

Digs: The Boulder office has industrial touches, a large central kitchen, and garage door that opens to a back patio complete with cafe-style seating.

Culture: The nonprofit RMI researches and consults with businesses on how to pull away from their reliance on coal and oil. No surprise, then, that this is one of the greenest offices you’ll find. Healthy lunches are provided daily, and staff at the Snowmass office run, ski, and hike on the 900-acre land conservancy they call home.

Giving Back: Outside of its work, RMI doesn’t have any charity programs, though it encourages employees to volunteer on their own time.

Sweet Perk: The employee housing adjacent to the Snowmass office enables employees visiting from Boulder to stay the weekend and ski or hike.

Giving Back: As part of the Center for Green Schools’ Green Apple Day of Service, C1S put on a Garden Clean-Up Day for a local elementary school. The kids learn how to work compost piles, plant seeds, and talk about recycling and pollution.

Sweet Perk: Employees get access to the company travel service for personal vacation planning.

75. Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Digs: With 35 Georgian-style-inspired buildings and 140 acres, CEC has the camaraderie of a college campus.

Culture: The second-largest producer of natural gas in the U.S., CEC’s monster staff has plenty of energy of their own. Staff sports teams take advantage of the plethora of grass, and summer concerts in the park feature local bands and allow employees the chance to enjoy the summer weather..

Giving Back: Chesapeake has the largest corporate mentoring program in Oklahoma. Now starting its 19th year, mentors meet weekly one-on-one with more than 500 students to help with homework and serve as positive role models.

73. Coverity Inc.

Digs: Coverity’s modern offices are located in two buildings around the China Basin neighborhood, a quick jaunt from the waterfront and AT&T Park.

Culture: Coverity’s computer scientists are experts at protecting businesses and brands from software failure. When they aren’t saving the world from impending technological crisis, employees enjoy local treats like free Giants tickets and bay cruises. Many work from abroad, clocking in from as far as India, New Zealand, and Australia.

Giving Back: Coverity sends employees on sporadic volunteer trips, such as sending the entire Calgary R&D team to the town of High River in Alberta, Canada, to help clean up after the intense flooding there.

72. Honey Stinger

Digs: Race souvenirs, and signed jerseys line the cubicle walls of this mountain-town office.

Culture: Employees test their honey-based energy products (most of which are organic) while running, mountain biking, or hiking minutes up the road on the local singletrack. Guests need to look sharp to avoid tripping on any stray skis, bikes, or dogs.

Giving Back: Honey Stinger donates money to Routt County Riders, a chapter of the International Mountain Biking Association, and supports Partners in Routt County, a youth mentoring program that pairs adults with at-risk youths.

Sweet Perk: Commuter points, earned by taking alternative transportation to work, can be swapped in for days off. Fifty commuter points equals one day of extra vacation.

Hiring: No

(Courtesy of Honey Stinger)

71. Brooks Sports, Inc.

Digs: While the new office is constructed for 2014, staff are parked up at “Camp Brooks” in Seattle’s U-District, an office building with Technicolor-painted walls and moose heads hanging over the lodge-style fireplace.

69. Horny Toad Activewear

Digs: This remodeled UC Santa Barbara building on the Riviera offers views of downtown and the Channel Islands.

Culture: Much like the activewear they produce, the office environment at Hornytoad is casual, comfortable, and ready for adventure. Staff members put their sustainable threads through the wringer, wearing them during staff bike rides and in-office cook-offs.

Giving Back: Horny Toad partners with the Planet Access Company, an organization that provides training and jobs for developmentally disabled adults. PAC crewmembers also get to enjoy outdoor excursions, paid for by PAC proceeds and grant money from Horny Toad.

68. Quality Bicycle Products

Digs: QBP’s epic central warehouse features an array of solar panels, enough bike parking for hundreds of employees, and a gently curving glass curtain wall that floods the facility with natural light.

Culture: This massive wholesale distributor supplies bikes and bike parts for over 5,000 dealers, but the efficiency doesn’t stop there. The company composts 33% of waste, reused over 70% of the debris from the warehouse the new facility is built on, and in 2013 will attempt to map its entire carbon footprint.

66. Amer Sports Winter and Outdoor

Digs: Originally a canning facility, the building was revitalized in 2006 and now houses the company offices as well as an auditorium with theater-style seating.

Culture: The marketers behind big-name brands like Salomon, Atomic, and Suunto have sent product to 33 countries over the past six years. Employees use their discounts to outfit themselves for everything from the company’s annual ski day to 50K nordic ski races and polar bear plunges in the frozen Pineview Reservoir.

Giving Back: Amer Sports financially supports local outdoor organizations that cater to young people with disabilities, such as the Youth Winter Sports Alliance.

Sweet Perk: The company Wellness Focus Group helps team members improve their mental and physical well-being, most recently with an onsite health food store.

Hiring: No

(Courtesy of Amersport)

65. Deschutes Brewery

Digs: Brewery tour-goers and workers alike enjoy views of the winding Deschutes River and kick back in the “satellite office,” Deschutes’ local pub.

Culture:This brewery gets its flavor inspirations from its surroundings, so its only right that the company celebrated its 25th anniversary with a bike ride from Black Butte to Mirror Pond. Last year, Deschutes supported music and their river namesake through Deschutes River Recordings, where brewery customers nominated river-themed songs and the brewery teams up with artists to pick a favorite to be performed and recorded on the banks of the river.

Giving Back: Deschutes pledged to return one billion gallons of water—their main resource—to the Deschutes River each year.

Sweet Perk: Staff spread the good word by working and attending beer festivals throughout the year, including The Great American Beer Festival.

63. Namaste Solar

Digs: The furniture in Namaste’s Gold LEED office is made from 95% recycled materials.

Culture: The office’s zero-waste policy means that employees focus on composting or recycling materials, which makes sense for a company based around solar energy. Harmonious office relationships are highly valued, though the office’s “Fun Committee” does encourage pranks.

Giving Back: Twenty percent of annual profits go back to the community via donations to local nonprofits or free solar systems and installation.

Sweet Perk: Employees who earn industry licenses or certificates can see a bump in their paychecks.

62. Sterling-Rice Group

Digs: The company’s Boulder office features a full kitchen, 360-degree views of the mountains, 3-D printing capabilities, and a courtyard that transforms into an ice rink in the winter.

Culture: Marketing is notoriously demanding work, and Sterling-Rice tries to keep employee stress levels down with monthly yoga classes, Friday massages, and regular all-company recesses where the group provides a catered lunch, a variety of outdoor activities, and raffle prizes.

61. Hanson Dodge Creative

Culture: Trusted by Trek, Ragnar Relay Series and Thule with their advertising needs, Hanson Dodge encourages employees to stay active on and off the clock with P90X workouts, yoga classes and company-sponsored sports teams.

Giving Back: Milwaukee’s brand-new bike share has Hanson Dodge in part to thank: Staff put together an art show to sponsor the project, which launched this past summer.

Sweet Perk: The company sponsors their own personal Ragnar run, open and free to all employees.

60. Groundspeak

Digs: The glass doors of the lobby welcome geocaching enthusiasts from around the world who have come to find the headquarters' geocache, a literal treasure chest containing a logbook for enthusiasts to sign and trackables to take as souvenirs.

Culture: The company behind the world’s largest outdoor treasure hunt is staffed by professional creators of fun. Employees enjoy free unlimited ski or snowboard tickets and, yes, frequent geocache outings.

Giving Back: The company encourages employees to “Cache In Trash Out” and pick up litter while geocaching, often sponsors events that combine treasure hunting with trail maintenance and trash clean-up.

58. Infinite Energy

Digs: A walking trail winds around the four main campus buildings, a stone’s throw from Gainesville’s Kanapaha Botanical Gardens.

Culture: Friday Frenzy CrossFit-style classes have employees of this natural-gas and energy supplier flipping tires and hauling sledgehammers in neighboring Kanapaha Park. The rewards are sweet: Last year’s holiday party gave out $100,000 in prizes.

Giving Back: The company’s designated Impact Team organizes and raises funds for groups to run and walk for charity throughout the year.

57. Smith Optics

Digs: Windows encircle both the first and second floors of this three story building.

Culture: Founded in 1965 by an orthodontist turned ski bum, Smith’s scientific approach to sports helmets, glasses and goggles have earned them a reputation for innovation. The gear room filled with kayaks, bikes and skis, and nearby Sun Valley Ski Resort, makes it easy for staff to stay connected to their core market.

55. Salt Communcations

Digs: The Portland office is in the center of Jackson Tower and overlooks Pioneer Courthouse Square, also known as “Portland’s Living Room.”

Culture: Frequent company meetings in Sun Valley re-energize the staff that make up this full service marketing and communications agency. In addition to professional improvement through leadership workshops, the company created Run Like a Mother, a program that coaches female employees (later expanded to the general public) to participate in 5Ks up to full marathons.

Giving Back: Salt founded LEAP, a program to help disabled, distraught, or disadvantaged teens. This year, Salt Employees will mentor kids during five-day wilderness therapy programs.

Sweet Perk: The company pays for friends and family of employees to take raft trips with company-owned outfitter Orange Torpedo Tours.

54. NOLS

Digs: The 40,000-square-foot building is within 30 minutes of world-class limestone climbing and bouldering.

Culture: As a world leader in outdoor education, NOLS staff share their passion for wilderness medicine, mountaineering, and more with students age 14 to 70. Here, employees are more likely to wear Chacos than dress shoes, which better prepares them for frequent post-work climbs or hikes.

Giving Back: Employees worldwide volunteer for community service initiatives including walking dogs for the animal shelter, volunteering at food banks, libraries, and fire services.

Sweet Perk: Staff have full access to the NOLS Rocky Mountain gear shed, which is chock-full of skis and camping equipment.

53. Patagonia

Digs: The company's LEED-certified headquarters features workout areas for yoga and Pilates classes, as well as a sand volleyball court and easy access to biking trails.

Culture: Outdoor apparel maker Patagonia is famous for taking care of the environment—and its employees. Team members in Ventura can get organic meals at reduced prices in the company's cafe, and can take time off mid-day to surf or spend time with their families under the company's informal flexible work program.

Giving Back: Over 45 tons of clothing have been recycled through the company's Common Threads program since 2005.

Sweet Perk: Patagonia's tuition reimbursement program gives employees up to $500 per fiscal year to help cover their costs at an accredited school.

52. Zozi

Digs: Employees enjoy happy hour and cornhole on the company rooftop, just six blocks from the bay.

Culture: Zozi’s trip masters partner with celebrity expert guides to spend their days planning adventures such as full-moon kayaking, vineyard touring by bike, or snowboarding Jackson Hole with X Games medalist Travis Rice. The company takes employee ideas seriously via its quarterly Creative Autonomy Days, where employees spend time working on any Zozi project outside their current priorities.

Giving Back: 10% of profits get donated back to the local communities to help with food, clothing, and other initiatives.

Sweet Perk: Upon hitting specified profitability targets, employees receive an all-expense paid vacation and access to the company ski house in Lake Tahoe.

51. The Clymb

Digs: The lobby opens up to an open office space with high ceilings, skylights, and wooden pillars.

Culture: As you might expect, this private outdoor sale network is staffed by serious gearheads. The company Gear Library is stocked with equipment that employees can check out for a week at a time to get outside, allowing them to take advantage of the neighboring Cascade Mountain Range, the Columbia River Gorge, and one of the most beautiful coastlines in the country.

Giving Back: The Clymb raised money for cancer research by sending two teams to a ski relay at Mount Hood.

Sweet Perk: This year The Clymb took 70 employees to Oahu for a one- week “work-ation” as a reward for hitting major goals, paying for activities such as surfing, snorkeling, and paddling.

50. Balihoo

Digs: Originally built in 1867 as a grocery store, Balihoo’s office retains the original brick walls, with repurposed touches like desks made out of old doors.

Culture:A marketing software maker with clients such as New Balance, Zumba Fitness, and ACE Hardware, Balihoo takes dog appreciation to a new level. Each conference room in the building is named after an employee pooch, while the company-wide Pawsitive Project affords each employee 48 hours of paid community service time.

Giving Back: $5,000 in grant funds for community service activities are available for employees each year. Workers have used funds to go on service trips abroad and tackle projects within the community.

Sweet Perk: Each fall, staff trek out to Camp Balihoo at the CEO's mountain cabin to enjoy good food, campfires, and singalongs.

48. Natural Habitat Adventures

Digs: Located just outside of town, the NHA office lounge enjoys up-close mountain views and is outfitted with a foosball table, guitars, and a few office dogs.

Culture:The world’s first 100% carbon-neutral tourism company has been leading trips all over the planet for the past 28 years. In the field, NHA’s professional naturalist guides help travelers explore the planet’s most revered natural places, while at home, staff enjoy free ski passes, an on-site fitness center, and parties on the company pontoon boat.

47. Spawn

Digs: The sweet back patio looks out over the Chugach Mountains, and fresh Alaskan salmon swim the river just three miles up the road.

Culture: Spawn is an ad agency, but otherwise it’s about as far from Madison Avenue as you can get. The creative staff and account managers here represent top local and national brands such as United Way and the University of Alaska, with enough time left over bike or run on the adjacent Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.

Giving Back: Spawn hosted a local poster show called HOME which used work from local artists to raise money for Alaskan families at risk for homelessness.

46. River Design Group

Digs: The Whitefish office is a renovated log home sitting on five acres of woods and open meadows, including a garage for field equipment and side yard for dogs.

Culture: River Design Group has successfully removed dams from some of America’s most prominent rivers. It’s become a tradition for employees to compete in the Annual RDG "Glacier Challenge," a six-sport event in Whitefish that includes road cycling, running, canoeing, kayaking and mountain biking.

45. Backroads

Digs: Backroads turned the asphalt yard of this old cement contractor into a green space, complete with barn and courtyard.

Culture:Backroads’ trip designers specialize in dreaming up the best biking, hiking, walking and multisport trips for families, singles, and solo travelers. Bike tours around San Francisco and food trucks in the courtyard for lunch are just two ways that their hard work pays off.

Giving Back: On Earth Day, Backroads employees and their families removed more than 400 pounds of garbage from San Francisco Bay's shore near headquarters.

Sweet Perk: The entire company is invited on the four-day Annual Staff Bike Ride, which takes place in a different exotic destination each year.

44. Pellucid Analytics

Digs: The building off the Pearl Street mall is filled with 30-inch personal monitors, a retro arcade table and 80-inch TV with Nintendo Wii.

Culture:Investment banking technology company Pellucid pushes employees to unplug with a monthly education and active lifestyle allowance. Table-tennis-happy employees compete for the Ping Pong Champion belt, which is frequently and proudly worn around the office.

Giving Back: Pellucid donates their old furniture to a school in Brooklyn.

43. IslandWood

Digs: The sustainably built main campus at this 225-acre outdoor learning center includes a canopy tower, suspension bridge, organic garden, art studio, and two tree houses.

Culture: Along with the 25 to 30 University of Washington graduate students that live and work on campus each year, IslandWood teaches 4,000 elementary school students about the natural world through their School Overnight Program, as well as offering experiences for other children and adults through their community programs. Even office staff enjoy lunch-time hikes, meetings outside, and views of deer in the meadow.

Giving Back: During the school year, IslandWood's education team leads the "Make a Difference" project, supporting schools that undertake student-driven service learning projects in Seattle neighborhoods.

Sweet perk: On days off, staff take advantage of IslandWood’s six miles of stream-crossed trail through the company’s second-growth forest.

42. Spyderco

Digs: The six-acre site houses corporate offices alongside the warehouse, home to their million dollar knife testing facility.

Culture:Spyderco’s knives may look unusual, but they’ve won awards for their ergonomically innovative designs. The husband and wife team that started the company in 1976 has kept the family feeling, hosting company picnics and including a health and wellness newsletter with every paycheck.

Giving Back: Last November, Strava created Marathon for Sandy Relief, donating $10 to the Sandy relief effort for each Strava user who ran 26.2 miles in a single session, any day from November 4 to 11, up to a maximum of $10,000.

Sweet Perk: Employees enjoy 25 days of paid time off right off the bat.

40. Outlaw Partners

Digs: Just outside the two-story office, staff enjoy weekly team yoga in the shadow of 11,166-foot Lone Mountain.

Culture: Free ski passes, outdoor gear, and gym passes are handed to the employees that work at this boutique marketing video, and media firm. Between powder days and dog walks, staff members go on all-expense paid weekend getaways, with homework to write about their experience for Outlaw’s publications.

Giving Back: The Outlaws donate money, volunteer hours, and pro bono work to the Big Sky Community Corporation, a non-profit organization that acquires, promotes, and maintains parks and trails in Big Sky.

Sweet Perk: All employees are eligible to receive complimentary gear to test and review for the company-owned magazine and newspaper.

39. C3 Presents

Digs: Signed guitars and photos of screaming fans line the walls on the 21st-floor offices in a downtown high rise.

Culture: Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza, heavyweights in the live-concert world, have organizers at C3 to thank for their continued excellence. Hard work doesn’t go unappreciated by management, who are known to give out thank you gifts such as massages or musical instruments.

Giving Back: During the holidays, the company will match 100% of an employee’s donation to a charitable organization.

Sweet perk: SXSW falls right in C3’s backyard, and staff are encouraged to check out new talent using their complimentary wristbands.

Hiring: No

(Dave Mead)

38. Santa Cruz Bicycles

Digs: The minty smell is only just wearing off of the company’s new showroom, formerly a Wrigley’s Gum factory.

Culture: Now in its 20th year in business, SCB’s crew continues to create some of the most innovative, lightweight mountain bikes around. Employees get plenty of time to sample the product, thanks to flexible work hours that allow them to grab daytime rides.

Giving Back: The company works with Santa Cruz’s Project Bike Trip, now in its fourth year, to teach free bike mechanics classes at six local high schools. Santa Cruz also played a key role in developing a citywide program to recycle hard plastics, allowing it to recycle 90% of packing materials.

37. Shine United

Digs: An upcycled wood gymnasium floor and bleachers add a modern look to this old livery building.

Culture: Abundant light and the promise of summer Fridays give staff at this advertising agency the inspiration to dream up creative campaigns for high-profile clients like Winston Fly Rods, and Jones Soda.

Giving Back: Shine donates to a children's program in Guatemala called Outreach for World Hope, which aids kids in need of food, school supplies, and medicine.

36. Haberman

Digs: The Kickernick, a 19th-century brick and timber building with floor to ceiling windows.

Culture: Since the mid-90s, founders Fred and Sarah Haberman have focused their marketing agency on promoting pioneering groups trying to change the world. The agency works hard to put employees on projects that align with their interests, including environmental justice, health and wellness campaigns, and the sustainable foods movement.

Giving Back: One of Fred Haberman’s entrepreneurial offshoots, Urban Organics, will soon provide fresh produce and fish in the city while supporting the community through local jobs.

Sweet perk: Free veggies are delivered from the Dude Ranch, the company’s personal farm and CSA.

32. Boomtown

Location:Charleston, South CarolinaNumber of employees: 88
Digs: Staff can be seen riding Razor scooters from office to office in this renovated grocery store.
Culture: At this maker of online marketing software for real estate professionals, staff aren’t expected to keep glued to the screen. The bosses make sure there’s time for boot camp breaks and Friday evening happy hours which include live music and an office bar with local seasonal beers on tap.
Giving back: Employees get their hands dirty on local projects, from maintenance on the Palmetto Trail to Habitat for Humanity builds on some of Charleston’s historic homes.
Sweet Perks: If Fido gets too frisky indoors, release him into the on-premise dog park to play with some pals.
Hiring:Yes! Designers, Software Engineers

30. The Honest Kitchen

Digs: Two and four-footed employees occupy the brick halls of the refurbished old Wonderbread building in San Diego’s East Village.

Culture: The office of this human-grade dog and cat food producer has about as many dogs as people, which makes for an abundance of birthday parties. The company’s penchant for holding “walking meetings” means that canine team members get plenty of exercise.

Giving Back: The Pawlanthropy program gives a percentage of profits to a different charity each month.

Sweet perk:Employees indulge in monthly chair massages and get reimbursed up to $40 per month for fitness classes.

29. Orbotix

Digs: A suite in a modern office park, just two blocks from bustling Pearl Street and the Boulder Creek running path.

Culture:This technology company’s main product, Sphero, is a smartphone-controlled robotic ball that can be used as video gaming tool or for a tricky game of fetch with the dog. Staff members bring that sense of play to work on Hack Fridays, when they’re free to work on any creative project they want.

28. iSirona

Digs: The company’s spacious bayside office will get a little posher in August with the addition of a spanking new workout room and wellness and nutrition classes to go with it.

Culture: Located within spitting distance of Panama City’s sugar-sand beaches, iSirona produces healthcare software that allows clinicians to access more accurate medical data, quicker. Employees manage their own health during breaks by shooting pool in the on-site game room.

Giving back: iSirona’s jocks and nerds alike all find their ways to give back, from rocking out the Emerald Coast MudRun, a fundraiser for orphans in Ukraine, to sponsoring a high school robotics team.

Sweet Perks: Employees practice their angling on all-staff cruises to the Bahamas or trips to Jamaica.

27. Hydroflask

Digs: High ceilings soar over employee-made wood and steel desks, while the office deck looks out over the Cascades.

Culture: All employees at stainless-steel water-bottle manufacturer Hydro Flask are eligible for the company’s profit-sharing program, so they have plenty of incentive to work hard. Tuesday and Thursday lunches are designated for group outings like hiking, climbing, or biking.

Giving Back: Five percent of the net profit for each bottle purchased goes to charity—customers can visit Fivepercentback.org to pick exactly where their money goes.

26. Riot Games

Digs: Standing desks, Aeron chairs, and balancing balls are spread across this open office. Upstairs, the PC cafe offers a plethora of video game systems for employees to better hone their skills.

Culture:This video-game company's’ Anti-Lazy Club, an employee-led fitness group that meets twice weekly for open-air circuit workouts, keeps staff surprisingly unstuck to their screens at this computer game developer, creator of the widely-played League of Legends. Rioters also enjoy monthly potlucks, board games nights, and an open paid time off policy.

Giving Back: Last year, 100% of proceeds from sales of character skins were donated to Make-A-Wish, raising nearly $500,000.

Sweet Perk: The entire staff (and their significant others) will visit the Caribbean on this year’s company retreat.

25. The ZaneRay Group

Digs: An open workspace that looks out over the Whitefish Mountain Range.

Culture: You can blame your online shopping binges on ZaneRay’s wizard e-commerce web designers, who’ve revamped the sites of brands like online powerhouses like Horny Toad and Nixon Watches. Employees make good use of their flexible work schedules to enjoy rafting, skiing, and endless trails, within 20 minutes of the office.

Giving Back: ZaneRay sponsors several local youth sports teams as well as a high-school job-shadowing program.

Sweet Perk: ZaneRay and Montana Ski Company partnered to create a set of customized wood-core skis, which are kept at the office for staff or clients to use whenever they like.

24. Rally Software Development Corp.

Digs: The new headquarters are outfitted with Energy Star appliances, compost, and motion sensors, and enjoy views of the Boulder Flatirons.

Culture: The company’s dry work developing software to improve businesses’ efficiency is offset by their appreciation for juvenile team-building: Think go-kart racing, ghost tale bus tours, and miniature golf outings. Interested employees can also take (at no cost to them) regularly held public speaking, leadership, and collaboration courses.

Giving Back: The company’s Rally For Impact program gives one percent of employee time, one percent of product, and one percent of the company's equity to community environmental and social causes.

Sweet Perk: The employee with the most volunteer hours each quarter is given a gift certificate and recognized at the All-Hands company meeting.

Giving Back: The goal of the Global Works Community Fund, which the company just started, is to provide scholarships to 40-50 high school students each year who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend the company’s trips. In the meantime, Global Works offers partial scholarships and tuition discounts for those in need.

Sweet Perk: Staff grow and chow down on strawberries, tomatoes, and herbs from the garden.

20. GeoEx

Culture: Whether you’re a David Livingstone or a desk jockey, there’s a department for you at this pioneering adventure-travel agency. Between excursions, staff take advantage of cheap in-office yoga and meditation classes at UCSF.

Giving Back: GeoEx donates to over 30 nonprofits in the destinations they visit, ranging from conservation efforts to student scholarships.

Sweet Perk: Every quarter, employees nominate one outstanding peer to enjoy a free plane ticket for travel anywhere in North America.

Hiring: No.

(Courtesy of GeoEx)

19. Human Movement

Digs: A renovated old barn, located in historic Old Town Louisville, one block from the Boulder County mountain bike trail system.

Culture: There’s no happening too big or too small for event organizers Human Movement, the proud parents of the Ugly Sweater Run and Oktoberfest Denver. Staff take advantage of optional (but strongly encouraged) powder days and company snowmobiles before hitting the office bar.

Giving Back: Human Movement sponsors free community movie nights in the park in Louisville throughout the summer.

Sweet Perk: Staff members get nearly a month of paid vacation in January.

18. USANA

Digs: More than 89 percent of the landscape surrounding this 350,000-square foot building has been replaced with rocks, mulch, trees, and low-water plants.

Culture: Voted one of the healthiest places to work in 2012 by Greatist, this health and nutrition company’s staff use and live by their health and nutrition products. Company-sponsored intramural sports teams, fun runs, and Tuesday massages keep the focus on wellness front and center.

Giving Back: The USANA True Health Foundation provides critical supplies to those in need around the globe.

Sweet Perk: The fully-equipped onsite gym includes CrossFit classes, a rock wall, and a personal trainer.

Hiring:Yes! Business Analyst, Marketing and Communications, Service Representatives, Event Production Manager, and more.

Culture: Working at New Belgium is like going to Beer Disneyland. Each employee is awarded part ownership of the company when they’ve been there a year, giving them an incentive to strive for excellence.

Giving Back: New Belgium will donate $760K to communities in 30 states this year through its grants program, which donates $1 for every barrel of beer sold.

Sweet Perk: Stick it out for a year you get a custom cruiser bike. Stick it out for five years, and you’ll be sent to Belgium, one of the world’s most innovative beer hubs.

15. RealeFlow

Digs: Employees get to custom-paint the walls of their offices, which ring a central “living room” filled with couches, a TV, and video games.

Culture:Realeflow’s main product, Realeflow Investor, is an online platform for customer management, primarily for real estate investors. Employees are rewarded for their hard work with company trips to the Bahamas, Mexico, and Cancun.

13. BrainStorm, Inc.

Location:American Fork, UtahNumber of employees: 35
Digs: A car dealership-turned-movie-theater-turned-office, with bright-colored walls and enviable views of the Wasatch Front Range.
Culture: Foosball and a full Xbox game room/theater help staffers at this software training company blow off steam after teaching us laypeople how to use Microsoft Office. The office culture club keeps employees on their toes with indoor soccer, spin classes, and kickball teams.
Giving back: A corporate giving committee doles out donations throughout the year. During the holidays, employees receive $100 to donate to a cause of their choice.
Sweet Perks: Monthly staff outings include flag football and tube floats down the Provo River.
Hiring:Yes! Senior Manager, Direct Sales; Freelance Software Training Services, Freelance Technical Writer; Intern, Product Development

(Courtesy of BrainStorm)

12, Fuse LLC

Location:Burlington, VermontNumber of employees: 31
Digs: An old wool mill with modern trimmings, like employee-painted murals and a private skate ramp.
Culture: As a youth marketing agency, Fuse LLC's mission is to bridge the gap between the young and hip and clients like Harley Davidson and Mountain Dew. Staff members gather post-work for canoe trips and moonlight snowshoes.
Giving back: Fuse offers discounted services to outdoor-related nonprofits such as Boarding for Breast Cancer and DoSomething.org.
Sweet Perks: The company celebrates staff anniversaries with customized gifts, like a new scooter or a skateboarding vacation to Barcelona.
Hiring:Yes! Creative Group Director, Brand Strategy Account Manager, IT Assistant, Interns

(Courtesy of Fuse LLC)

11. Drake Cooper LLC

Digs: A former warehouse decked out with upcycled decor, like recycled steel faux walls and whiteboards made from glass shower doors.

Culture: Clients range from tourism and non-profits to local breweries and vodka distilleries at this advertising firm in downtown Boise. The on-the-clock yoga and workout classes mean you could be sweating alongside the CEO, and nearby trails make it easy to squeeze in a lunchtime ride or hike.

Giving Back: Through its Dream Big program, Drake Cooper offers a year of pro bono services to one non-profit.

10. The Grauer School

Location:Encinitas, CaliforniaNumber of employees: 36
Digs: An outdoor campus that includes five coastal acres with two acres set aside for a native wildlife corridor.
Culture: Outside of its rigorous academic program, this small private prep school sends its staff and 150 sixth- through twelfth-grade students all over the planet; recent trips include Tanzania, Cuba, and Hawaii. A virtually unlimited budget for supplies lets teachers dream big with class projects.
Giving back: The school plays guardian to local ecological reserves including the San Diego Lagoon, the San Diego Botanical Gardens, and several local beaches. They’re also the longest-running tester of San Diego’s ocean water quality.
Sweet Perks: Teachers (and students) may write proposals for humanitarian or ecologically focused trips worldwide.
Hiring: No, but accepts resumes year-round

7. Beach Cities Health District

Digs: The entire second floor of this retired hospital turned preventative care facility is a fitness and health center, complete with free weights and yoga classes.

Culture: The staff’s enthusiasm for health and wellness drew over 400 people to their first community Zumba class of the year. BCHD volunteers are called on for an infinite number of community duties, from teaching youth nutrition workshops to driving elderly residents to the grocery store.

Giving Back: BCHD gives out $40K a year in grants to organizations that work to further the health and wellness of the community.

Sweet Perk: Employees earn fitRewards for attending classes and wellness activities, which can be cashed in for gift cards, massage packages, or personal training packages.

6. Seeley Lake Elementary

Location:Seeley Lake, MontanaNumber of employees: 31
Digs: A wide-open campus on the south side of an old logging town, complete with bike repair shop and bouldering wall.
Culture: Students and staff at this pre-K-8 public school break up their rigorous academic schedules with frequent excursions on school-owned bikes, canoes, rafts, and Nordic ski equipment. Classes frequent Glacier National Park, a quick two-hour drive up MT 83.
Giving back: The school community center runs year-round gear maintenance workshops, ranger talks, and guided hikes.
Sweet Perks: Teachers can be reimbursed for outdoor leadership training classes, including Wilderness First Responder and NOLS courses.
Hiring: No

4. Tenacious Holdings/Ergodyne

Location:Saint Paul, MinnesotaNumber of employees: 35
Digs: Near Lake Como, the well-lit renovated building used to be a Northern Pacific Railway repair shop.
Culture: Competition is the name of the game at this protective workwear producer. Staff members come together for monthly Dirty Jobs meets The Office-style competitions, ranging from wild game cook-offs to wellness bingo. Their dress code? Wear clothes.
Giving back: The employee-run Giving Team organizes the annual 65 Roses Golf Tournament, a fundraiser for cystic fibrosis which has raked in over $2.5 million.
Sweet Perks: Each team gets an activities budget for bonding activities like Twins games or trips to the state fair.
Hiring:Yes! Regional Sales Director

(Courtesy of Tenacious Holdings)

3. MercuryCSC

Location:Bozeman, MontanaNumber of employees: 19
Digs: An open workspace in downtown Bozeman
Culture: A creative marketing agency that’s done work for the Montana Office of Tourism and ExOfficio, MercuryCSC keeps the mood light with employee art shows and occasional dress-up days. Employees plan their own hours under the company’s flexible scheduling policy.
Giving back: MercuryCSC’s 30 Days 23 Ways Holiday Charity Challenge pushes employees to take on a month-long personal improvement project, after which they are rewarded with a donation to the nonprofit of their choice.
Sweet Perks: The team regularly gets its hands dirty on biking, rafting, and skiing excursions..
Hiring: Currently no openings but always accepting resumes

(Courtesy of Mercury CSC)

2. Zen Planner

Location:Highlands Ranch, ColoradoNumber of employees: 24
Digs: Dartboards and ping-pong tables decorate the company’s offices in the local Town Center
Culture:A management software producer for fitness-related businesses, Zen Planner gives its team plenty of opportunities to play. Yoga instructors and nutrition experts strut the halls, and workers have been known to break for parkour practice. At regular “chug and learn” sessions, employees enjoy free beer while developers talk up the program’s newest features.
Sweet Perks: A kid-friendly Van Halen Room is stocked with games and an Xbox for when you bring your children.
Hiring:Yes! Web Application Developer, Member Advocate

(Courtesy of Zen Planner)

1. Groundfloor Media

This small PR firm, which services clients including Qdoba and Oskar Blues Brewery, is good at keeping employees around: It had a zero-percent turnover rate in 2012. Work can be done from anywhere, as long as it gets done. The on-site gym with an Apple TV keeps the average blood pressure down, as do the multiple office dogs.
Location:Denver, ColoradoNumber of employees: 15
Digs: A brick storefront in downtown Denver (LoDo), a stone’s throw from Coors Field.
Giving Back: Employees can use up to four hours of paid time per month to volunteer in the community
Sweet Perk: Every Groundhog Day, the staff embarks on a company-paid trip to spend an evening at a resort, families welcome.
Hiring: Not at the time of this writing, but check the Groundfloor Media careers page

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